Pomegranate
by crazyauthoress
Summary: As the God of the Dead, Kurt knew that he was meant to be alone, unlike his brothers Puck and Finn. Afterall, who in their right minds would willingly choose to live in the Underworld with him? A retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Pomegranate (1/4?)

**Author:** crazyauthoress

**Summary:** As the God of the Dead, Kurt knew that he was meant to be alone, unlike his brothers Puck and Finn. Afterall, who in their right minds would willingly choose to live in the Underworld with him? A retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth with a Klaine spin on it.

**Rating:** T

**Warnings:** Spoilers for Glee episode 1x22 (Journey), "kidnapping", Greek gods and goddesses as our favorite Glee characters, angst, fluff, and a twist on multiple realities.

**Author's Note:** I took some liberties with this stories, especially when it came to the Greek gods and goddesses. One thing is that only Kurt, Puck, and Finn are related to each other as the three brothers. The others aren't related to each other unless they were born as twins like Artemis and Apollo. Another thing is that Blaine was born from Quinn and the Earth - Puck had no part in giving birth to him. This is mostly for me as I can't see Kurt getting with anyone he's related to, which none of the Greek gods had a problem with.

I realize that there are many differeny versions of this myth, some of which involve Hades tricking or forcing Persephone into eating the seeds and all of them have him kidnapping here. I chose to do it where she decided to eat the seeds in order to stay with him because she loved him. I'll admit, this is probably because of my romantic side, but I also believe that this version fits Kurt and Blaine the best.

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><p><em>'I thought this was suppose to be a diplomatic meeting,'i_ Kurt thought, rubbing his temple gently as he listened to the shouted argument about which child Mother Rhea loved more. _'Not Finn and Puck fighting over who Mother loves more.'_

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and Kurt rose from the stool that had been provided for him. "If you both don't shut up about Mother right now, I swear neither of you will live to see tomorrow!"

Finn and Puck fell silent and turned to look at him. "Come now, Kurtie," Puck cackled, ignoring the way Kurt twitched at the much-hated nickname. "You can't do anything to me!"

Kurt raised a delicate eyebrow, standing taller. "You may be the King, _Noah_," he snapped, reveling in the way his youngest brother flinched at the use of his true name. "But you're still my _younger brother_. I can do whatever I want to you and Mother would be on my side. Honestly, you and Finn have gotten too big for those thrones you sit in. None of us care whether Rhea loved who more; we're here because you called a diplomatic meeting. Either get to it, or I'll walk out and I'm sure the others will follow me. We all have much more important things to do than listen to you and Finn squabble."

He eyed his younger brothers in irritation. Half the time, Kurt couldn't believe he was related to them; none of them looked at all alike. Finn was tall and lanky, Puck was broad-shouldered and a couple of inches shorter than Finn. Kurt, on the other hand, was small and slight with blue eyes to their brown and hazel. Their mother swore they all came from the same man and none of them ever argued with their mother; they knew better.

"Are you going to finally act your ages or am I just going to walk out?" Kurt demanded, crossing his arms firmly over his silver-covered chest. "I, unlike most of you here, have things to do. The dead don't rule themselves, after all."

Finn flinched when Kurt mentioned his job. "Kurt, I thought we said we weren't going to-" he started to say, but Kurt cut him off.

"I'm sorry, Finn," he snapped, letting his anger boil over. "I didn't realize that I wasn't allowed to talk about my Realm when that's all you talk about. I guess being the god of the dead means I have to shut up about it, hm? But, of course, the gods of the blasted i_sea/i_ and the cursed i_sky/i_ get to talk about their Realms as much as they please. Right, Finn? Noah?"

With his lips compressed into a thin line, Kurt shook his head and scooped up the sequined black fedora next to him. "It appears I've overstayed my welcome, as usual," he said, eyes narrowing as he stared at his brothers. "Enjoy Olympus, brothers. You know where to find me if you actually want to see me - but somehow I doubt that'll ever happen."

"Kurt, you don't have to leave," Mercedes said from her seat next to her twin Tina. "We want you here-"

"But your King doesn't," Kurt murmured, smiling at Mercedes. She was one of the few Olympians he could actually handle being around. "It's fine, Mercedes. I have some important things to do anyway. I'll see you later, alright?"

She frowned a little but settled herself back into the golden throne she sat in. "Alright... I'll miss you, boo," Mercedes said, wiggling her fingers at him in goodbye.

"I'll miss you too," he said before placing his fedora on his head and vanishing.

Within moments, Kurt found himself at the edge of the River Styx, his ferryman waiting with more souls of the dead in his boat. "Go on, Charon, I'll wait until the next one," he said, nodding at the black hooded figure.

The ferryman nodded to him. "As you wish, Lord Kurt," he intoned before pushing off from the shore and beginning the journey across the River Styx.

The Lord of the Dead sighed and sat down by the side of the river, staring into its murky depths. "I wish you were still as clear as you were when I was a child," Kurt murmured to the river, watching it. "But the world seems to be intent on clouding you even more."

He stretched out his legs, ignoring the dirt he knew was getting on the dark fabric of his pants. "They just don't understand," Kurt murmured, watching the water swirl around. "What it's like down here. If only Puck or Finn knew what I've given up so they can live in their world of bright sunshine. If only they knew the truth."

Sighing, Kurt stood up and looked down at his reflection in the water. He couldn't see it clearly, but he knew his hair was perfectly messy with his fedora resting on top of his head, that his shirt was black and silver with a fake vest sewn on the front with a gray bow tie at his neck, and he knew his pants and boots were black.

Without seeing himself, Kurt knew that he was the image of the god of the Underworld.

But, his reflection began to change. There was someone standing next to him. He couldn't see their face, but he saw bright, warm sunshine and soft green and blue clothes. There was no point in turning to see if anyone was beside him, because there wouldn't be.

The River Styx was showing him his future, not his present.

Swallowing weakly, Kurt shook himself and dusted away the dirt on his backside. "That future will never come to fruition," he whispered, watching as his reflection kissed the mystery figure. "Nobody would willingly choose a life in the darkness with me."

Kurt turned away just as the river showed him sitting at his throne with a smile on his face as he turned to look at the person sitting in the slightly smaller throne next to him.

"Charon," he called briskly, smiling a little when he saw the man waiting for him. "Can you ferry me across? I wish to see Cerberus before I have to tend to my other duties."

Charon nodded briskly. "Yes, Lord Kurt," he said, carefully helping Kurt into the boat before pushing off. "My Lord, if I may, what did the River Styx just show you?"

Kurt licked his lips and shut his eyes. "A future that will never happen, Charon," he replied softly. "It showed me with another, someone from Olympus who had willingly left the sunlight to live with me in the darkness. There is no Olympian who would willingly live here with me; this future will never come to be."

Charon was silent for a moment. "I would not be so sure, my Lord," he said softly, causing Kurt to turn and look at him. "I have heard that the goddess Quinn's son is unhappy, although that is not the right word."

The god smiled a little and shook his head. "Charon, Quinn's son is curious about what it is like, like every other god and goddess. But, once he discovers what my world is like, he will flee back to the world of eternal sunlight," Kurt said heavily as the boat ran into the opposite shore. "I appreciate the sentiment, but you know that nobody would willingly live here with me, present company excluded."

Charon bowed his head to Kurt. "If that's what you believe, my Lord," he said, his deep black eyes staring into Kurt's for a moment. "But, perhaps you underestimate the Olympians. Specifically her son. He is not like the others and you know that."

Kurt was silent. "He may not be like the others because of his birth," he said heavily. "But he will be like the others in regards to this. Few of the Olympians crave my company and those who do feel as if they are indebted to me."

"The Lady Mercedes is not just indebted to you," Charon argued. "She truly cares for you, regardless of your intervention when it came to her lover."

"It was my intervention that caused her to care for me in the first place," Kurt replied dryly before shaking his head. "Charon, please, drop it. If something comes up that requires my attention, come get me but otherwise I'll be with Cerberus."

Charon bowed lowly to him. "As you wish, my Lord," he said.

Kurt nodded to him before he walked away with his head held high and back straight. Only when he was out of Charon's eyeshot did he slump and let his head drop. Shaking himself after a moment, the Lord of the Dead walked over to the carved out area in front of him, whistling softly. "Cerberus, c'mere boy," he called softly, patting his thigh.

There was a soft yip and a Rottweiler puppy with three heads scampered out of the nook and full out ran toward Kurt. He ran into Kurt's legs and tumbled back before righting himself. He stared up at the god with six pairs of adoring eyes, his three tongues lolling out of his mouths and his tail wagging at hyper speed.

Laughing, Kurt knelt down and let the puppy clamber into his lap, three tongues all trying to lick him at the same time. "No, Cerberus!" he cried, trying to push all three heads down but failing at it. "Down, boy! No, I do not want puppy slobber all over me!"

Cerberus whimpered softly but plopped down on his butt with his tail still wagging furiously. Kurt smiled and stroked Cerberus' back before pulling a ball out of his pocket. "Cerberus, what's this?" he cooed, watching the puppy bounce excitedly and tumble over his own feet. "Go get it, boy!"

Kurt threw the ball as hard as he possibly could, watching the small dog race after it with a bark. Leaning back on his heels, he watched the Rottweiler chase after the ball before his left head grabbed it. Cerberus ran back to him, the middle head snapping playfully at the left one.

"Drop it," Kurt said, pointing to the ground and Cerberus obediently set the ball down in front of Kurt's black shoes with his tail wagging. Laughing, Kurt picked it up and threw it farther this time, watching Cerberus chased after it enthusiastically.

"My Lord."

Kurt wanted to groan when he heard Charon's voice and he turned to look at the male, irritation written across his face. "What?" he snapped at the cloaked male. "Charon, I truly appreciate all your help, honesltly I do. But, if this is because of a trivial matter, I'm going to kill you and send you to Tartarus for the rest of eternity."

Charon didn't looked phased by the god's threat. "Quinn's son, the god of the spring, has entered the Underworld," he said softly.

At Kurt's side, Cerberus began to growl deeply and the puppy began to grow until Kurt was as tall as his paw. The beast began to bark, loud booming barks that caused Kurt to wince weakly. "Cerberus!" the god shouted, placing a hand on the side of the giant paw. "Down, boy. Where is he, Charon?"

"In the throne room," the ferryman promptly replied. "Will Cerberus accompany you?"

Kurt huffed out a breath. "I wish he could," he murmured, stroking the soft fur under his fingers. "He needs to stay here, though. Even if he was a smaller size, the godling would be terrified of him."

Charon bowed deeply to the Lord of the Dead and stepped back. "Shall I accompany you?" he asked softly.

"No. I need you to contact Mike; I want this godling sent home immediately," Kurt replied as he began to walk toward the throne room.

"If I may, my Lord?" Charon said softly. "What if this godling is the one in the vision the River Styx showed you? He willingly came into the Underworld and-"

Kurt spun around and slashed a hand through the air. "Enough, Charon!" he shouted, causing Cerberus to growl. "If I know anything about Quinn, it's that she's smothered that boy because of what my brother did to her after Beth was born. This is just a way for him to rebel against her and against the rest of Olympus. I want him gone."

"Yes, my Lord," Charon said with a deep bow, a frown on his handsome face.

Taking a deep breath, Kurt turned around and began to walk toward the throne room again, running a hand down his face. "Stay, Cerberus," he ordered when he heard the pounding steps of the giant hound following him. A whimper came after his order, but Kurt wasn't having it. "Stay."

Glancing back to make sure Cerberus had done as he'd ordered, Kurt nodded and smiled at him gently. "I'll come play later," he promised softly before disappearing into the entrace hall of the palace.

He strode toward the throne room purposefully, his casual clothing changing with a simple thought. Gone was the gray, silver and black outfit, only to be replaced with a rich black half-cloak that fluttered slightly as he walked, partially covering the black toga he wore beneath. The boots had melted away, leaving laced sandals that curl around his calves underneath the black pants he wore.

Kurt looked down at the sequined fedora in his hand and flipped it once, watching the shape melt into a laurel wreath made of onyx and silver. With a touch of regret, the God of the Dead placed it on his head and pushed open the doors to his throne room.

At first, he didn't see the godling that had entered his domain. But then he heard it, a soft strain of music that echoed in the cavernous room. Kurt walked passed the black marble pilars with an air of arrogance, searching. He found the godling sitting on the tiled floor in front of the twin thrones at the back of the room and he stopped, amazed.

Quinn's son was nothing like he'd imagined. Kurt had thought that the child would take after Quinn, golden locks and a delicate bone structure with green hazel eyes. This man looked nothing like the goddess of agriculture.

He had dark curls that were pressed against his head with a type of gel that was not unlike what Kurt used to tame his own thick hair. There was a guitar in his lap and strong hands were strumming the instrument with care, the arms in his muscles flexing slightly as he played. When Kurt looked at him, he couldn't see Quinn in him at all.

Clearing his throat, the god stopped near him, an eyebrow raised. "And why, may I ask, has the god of the spring entered the domain of the dead?" Kurt asked blandly.

He looked up and Kurt stared straight into warm hazel eyes, eyes that were warmer than the sunlight that Kurt vaguely remember. "My Lord Kurt," he said, setting his guitar down next to him and standing. He bowed deeply to the other. "Forgive my intrusion... I was curious."

Kurt fought back the urge to groan. "That is perfectly understandable," he replied, walking passed the godling. "However, I must as you to leave. This is not your world-"

"Blaine."

"-Blaine and I'm sure your mother is worried sick. Charon has sent for Mike and-"

"I don't want to go back," Blaine said softly, cutting him off. "I want to stay here."

Kurt gaped at him. "No. Absolutely not," he said, sitting down in the marble throne and staring down at Blaine. "Your presence here will upset the delicate balance that I've managed to create. When Mike appears, you will go with him. Is that understood?"

Blaine frowned and ducked his head. "I can't go back there, my Lord," he said softly. "My mother-"

"I don't care," Kurt said, glaring down at him. "I will not be drawn into a quarrel between you and your mother. I have too much to worry about as it is without you. Besides, if you need some place to go, I'm sure the Muses will take you in. If I remember right, they enjoy your company, or so your mother told me."

He looked up at Kurt, his face hard. "Wes, David and the others would be more than willing to let me stay," Blaine admitted. "But they will be the first place my mother will look. I can't go back to my mother. I'm sorry, Lord Kurt, but I'm staying."

"Even if I order Cerberus to attack you?" Kurt asked, leaning back in the uncomfortable throne he sat in.

Blaine paled and looked scared. "Yes," he said, although his voice shook slightly.

Sighing, the god looked down at him. "You're either very brave or very stupid," Kurt replied dully. "Fine. I'll allow you to stay here for the time being. I have the right to force you to return to Olympus if you do anything, and I mean _anything_, that bothers me. Understand?"

Blaine's face lit up and he beamed at Kurt. "Yes. Thank you, Lord Kurt," he said, bowing deeply to the other.

Kurt just waved his thanks away. "Don't thank me yet, godling," he replied softly. "Charon will show you to your rooms. Explore if you wish, but do not go near Tartarus or the Elysian Fields. Cerberus will chase you off if you do and I will not stop him. Clear?"

Blaine nodded. "As crystal, my Lord," he said, bowing again.

Kurt stifled as sigh and summoned Charon with a wave of his hand. "Take the god of spring to his rooms," he ordered, ignoring the other's surprised looks. "He will be staying with us for a while."

"As you wish, my Lord," Charon said with a puzzled look on his face. "Any room specifically?"

"Keep him away from Cerberus," Kurt said. "At least until Cerberus knows we have a guest. Perhaps the room overlooking the River Stxy. I don't really care, Charon. I trust your judgement."

Charon bowed. "I am humbled by your trust in me, my Lord," he said before leading Blaine our of the room.

As soon as the doors to the throne room slammed shut, Kurt groaned and let his clothing melt back into his every-day clothing. "What've I done?" he groaned, resting his head against the marble behind him. "Puck is not going to be happy about this. He hates cat fights, unless he's one of the contenders."

Shaking himself, Kurt stood up and slowly left the throne room, heading back to Cerberus. Hopefully this would be over soon and Kurt could forget it. But, as he looked into the River Styx again, he saw the same vision, but the person beside him was clearer. "You're not going to let me forget this, are you?" he grumbled as he stared down into the river. "Even if he is the one, he won't stay."

The river just gurgled in reply.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Pomegranate (2/4?)

**Author:** crazyauthoress

**Summary:** As the God of the Dead, Kurt knew that he was meant to be alone, unlike his brothers Puck and Finn. Afterall, who in their right minds would willingly choose to live in the Underworld with him? A retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth with a Klaine spin on it.

**Rating:** T

**Warnings:** Spoilers for Glee episode 1x22 (Journey), "kidnapping", Greek gods and goddesses as our favorite Glee characters, angst, fluff, and a twist on multiple realities.

**Author's Note:** I took some liberties with this stories, especially when it came to the Greek gods and goddesses. One thing is that only Kurt, Puck, and Finn are related to each other as the three brothers. The others aren't related to each other unless they were born as twins like Artemis and Apollo. Another thing is that Blaine was born from Quinn and the Earth - Puck had no part in giving birth to him. This is mostly for me as I can't see Kurt getting with anyone he's related to, which none of the Greek gods had a problem with.

Thank you all for sticking it out and waiting for me. I had to go tackle the monster that is NaNoWriMo for a school project and I have emerged victorious. So, without further ado, here's Pomegranate chapter two!

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><p>Kurt's eyebrow twitched and he looked back to glare at the godling following him. Blaine was <em>trying<em> to be stealthy, but he hadn't quite gotten used to the crunch of gravel under his feet instead of grass. He froze, blinking innocently at Kurt before smiling a little. "Can I-"

"No," Kurt growled, shaking his head as he turned around to fully face Blaine. "You cannot accompany; you cannot go see Cerberus and you cannot go bother Charon. I told you that you couldn't do anything that would upset the balance I've made... and that involves disturbing the people who help me keep that balance."

Blaine pouted - actually _pouted_! - at Kurt. "But there's nothing to do," he said, kicking at a loose piece of gravel as he walked toward Kurt. "I've explored every inch of the Underworld that you've allowed me to visit and there's only so many time I can skip pebbles into the River Styx before I go crazy. Can I please come with you?"

Kurt raised an eyebrow at him, placing his hands on his hips. "No," he repeated. "I'm going to visit Cerberus and he's not used to you yet." He crossed his fingers childishly against his hip, staring straight at Blaine.

The god of spring frowned when he saw Kurt's fingers. "You're crossing your fingers! You're lying!" Blaine said, pointing at Kurt's fingers. "I didn't think you were young enough to still do that..."

"It's an old habit," the god of the dead murmured, looking down at his hand. "Whenever my brothers and I were young and Puck or Finn would break something of our mother's, I'd take the blame. I crossed my fingers every time, though, so at least I would remember that I was lying about it. Mother always seemed to know it wasn't the truth." Kurt shrugged a little, crossing his arms over his chest. "I gave up a lot for Finn and Puck as the oldest; they just don't seem to realize that."

Blaine frowned a little and tipped his head to the side in confusion. "Why don't you just remind them of that?" he asked innocently. "Surely they'd-"

But Kurt shook his head. "They wouldn't treat me any differently," he replied softly. "The minute my brothers took their thrones, they changed. It wouldn't matter if I reminded them of our childhood, they would still treat me like I'm inferior to them. I've always been the black sheep of my family, Blaine. Reminding them of something so small wouldn't change that."

The younger god watched him silently, tipping his head to the side. "I'm sorry," Blaine said softly, shaking his head a little. "It must be terrible, to go through something like that. I know-"

"No, you don't," Kurt spat, his anger sparking suddenly. "You don't know anything about this, Blaine son of Quinn. You have no idea what kind of hardships my brothers and I faced, what i_I__'__ve/i_ faced. Quinn kept you high on a a pedestal - your feet never touch the ground. I spent the first three hundred years of my life inside some madman's stomach because he thought Finn or I had the power to destroy him. My mother chose to protect _Puck_ when she willingly gave me to that psycho so he could swallow me."

Blaine looked properly chastised, but Kurt was on a roll. Nothing was going to stop him. "And after Puck defeated him, my mother turned to me and said "You need to become the god of the dead. You need to give your brothers the sea and the sky. It's only right, Kurt". She basically told me that I was no good, that I was supposed to live down in the darkness while my brothers basked in the light of the sun and were part of something! I gave up _everything_ for my family, for Puck and Finn and the rest of you damn Olympians, but you can't even honor the simplest request!"

Kurt stopped, breathing heavily as he stared at Blaine. "You don't know anything, Blaine," he repeated softly, as if everything had deflated inside of him.

"You're wrong," Blaine said softly, shaking his head. "I do know what you're going through. Yes, it's not as painful as your story, but I know." He was silent for a moment before he spoke. "My mother keeps me on a pedestal, yes, but do you know why? Because of what happened to Beth. Puck took Beth from my mother and gave her to Shelby, because he didn't think she could handle taking care of a baby. She created me to spite your brother. I was born so she could prove Puck wrong, that's all.

"I'm never allowed to go anywhere without her, because she seems to think that Puck'll take me away from her but Puck doesn't care! Your brother took Beth-"

"Because Quinn was going to abandon Beth," Kurt finished. "I know. I'm older than you are, Blaine. I was around during that whole mess."

Blaine stared at Kurt. "You know?" he asked softly.

Kurt nodded. "Yes. The River Styx foretold that Quinn was unable to take care of Beth and according to Santana and the others, she wasn't. Puck did the right thing for both of them. Beth is happy and safe, and Quinn still sees her."

"Then you know that I have to sneak out if I want to be with the Warblers," Blaine said softly. "I have to hide where I'm going from her because otherwise she wraps me in gauze and padding. I'm not like the rest of the Olympians, Kurt."

The god of the dead was silent as he watched Blaine. "I see that now, Blaine," Kurt said softly before turning around. "Do you want to come see Cerberus with me?"

Blaine smiled widely at Kurt and nodded excitedly. "Yes, please," he said, bouncing on his toes as he hurried after Kurt. "Please tell me he's not going to eat me or attack me?"

Kurt smiled slightly. "He won't eat you; I can't say the same thing about attacking you, however," he said, grinning at Blaine's groan. "He can be... a little excited when it comes to meeting new people."

"That doesn't sound very reassuring," Blaine muttered as Kurt led him along the bank of the River Styx. "Is it going to hurt?"

Kurt didn't answer as he raised two fingers to his mouth and whistled. "Cerberus! C'mere, boy!" he called. There was a loud barking and Kurt smirked when Blaine steeled himself.

There was the sound of claws scrabbling against gravel and then Cerberus ran around the corner. When he saw the two gods standing there, the huge dog shrunk and split off into three Rottweiler puppies that ran toward them. One of the puppies slammed into Kurt's legs and began pawing at his pants, but the other two bowled Blaine over.

The god of spring fell onto his back and the two puppies crawled all over him, yapping and licking his face ecstatically. Kurt gently nudged the last puppy over to Blaine and within moments all three puppies were yapping and licking Blaine.

"Get them off me!" Blaine laughed, pushing their faces back as best he could. "Are they always like this?"

Kurt smirked. "Of course not," he said, bending down and picking one of the puppies off Blaine's chest. He yipped unhappily before nuzzling his face against Kurt's neck and began to lick him. "Orion, stop that!"

"You named each head?" Blaine asked, pushing himself up and causing the other two puppies to tumble onto the ground.

The god of the dead nodded. "Yes, it's how I can keep them apart. This one is Orion. The one on your left is Lycus and the last one is Kyros. When I first became the god of the dead, the Fates gave me Cerberus as a puppy and he just split into three of them on his own. They told me to name each head and I did. They seem to come to either of their names," Kurt said, kneeling down and letting Orion go.

Orion yipped and dove at Lycus, causing the two puppies to tumbled head over heels. Kyros' tail wagged in excitement, but he stayed firmly attached to Blaine's side. One of the godling's hands came down and began to stroke his back, causing him to pant happily.

"Kyros likes you," Kurt murmured, sitting down next to Blaine. "He doesn't normally like anyone; Charon almost got his hand bitten off when he tried to pick him up."

Kyros rolled onto his back and presented his stomach to the gods for a scratch. Blaine smiled and carefully picked Kyros up, hugging the pup to his chest. Kurt watched silently as the Rottweiler puppy began to lick Blaine's face happily, smiling softly.

As Blaine cuddled the puppy to his chest and let him lick his face, Kurt paused, staring at Blaine in surprise. _'Blaine has been here for nearly six months and I've... I've never seen him not smile,"_ Kurt realized, staring at Blaine. It didn't matter how cruel or rude Kurt was to Blaine, the other just smiled sweetly at him before melting back into the shadows. He would just smile, whistle, and walk away without begging or pushing Kurt to do anything. He was the first person to give Kurt the respect he craved; the first person to smile at Kurt no matter how he treated Blaine.

Orion barked, drawing the god out of his thoughts, and when Kurt looked down at him, the puppy was holding a stick that was as long as he was up to the god. Laughing, he took the stick and threw it for the them. Orion and Lycus scampered after them, buy Kyros seemed content to just snuggle into Blaine's arms.

The godling stared down at Kyros before looking at Kurt in awe. "How do you manage to get any work done?" he asked softly, stroking the velvety smooth ears of the puppy in his arms.

Kurt opened his mouth to speak before he froze. He looked back and saw Charon standing there, his face grim. "Charon?" he asked, standing up.

"My Lord Kurt... I apologize for interrupting," he said softly as Orion and Lycus ran back to them, Lycus in the lead with the stick. "But... Lord Michael is here. He wishes to speak to you."

Kurt nodded slowly and turned to Blaine. "Stay here with Cerberus," he said softly, causing the three puppies to tilt their head at the same time. Kyrus pulled himself away from Blaine and padded over to his brothers. In a flash of light, the three puppies turned back into one dog and he grew so his shoulder was level with Kurt's hip.

The god of the death knelt down and stared into the six pairs of eyes. "Keep him company," he ordered, stroking Cerberus' broad neck. "Understand? Keep him safe and keep him company."

All three of Cerberus' heads barked at the same time before he padded over to stand in front of Blaine like a giant guard dog. He stood next to Blaine and his tail wagged happily when the godling put a hand on his back. "Kurt? What's happening?" he asked as he stood.

Kurt didn't answer, just turned to Charon. "He's in the throne room, correct?" he asked.

Charon bowed his head. "Yes, my lord," the servant replied, stepping out of Kurt's path. "Do you want me to accompany you?"

"No, Charon. You have other duties to attend to," Kurt said before walking away from Blaine and Cerberus.

"Kurt! What's going on?" Blaine called, but Kurt once more ignored him. He strode back to the palace, allowing his clothing to flicker and change to his more traditional clothes. His anger was palpable, radiating through the palace so that the doors to the throne room were thrown open.

"Mike," Kurt said calmly, staring at the messenger god. "Do you have a message for me?"

Mike nodded slowly, the wings on his leather sandals flapping hard and fast. "Puck orders that you return Blaine to Quinn," he said, watching Kurt. "He says that just because you're angry at him doesn't give you the right to kidnap-"

"Wait," Kurt said, holding up a hand to stop Mike from speaking. "Quinn said I _kidnapped_ Blaine?"

Mike swallowed and nodded one. "Yes," he admitted. "She said that you stole Blaine because of how Puck treated you during the meeting. That was sixth months ago! She wants him back. Kurt, she's stopped the plants from growing, the humans are dying."

Kurt sneered. "What do I care for the humans?" he demanded softly, crossing his arms over his chest. "What do I care for any of you? I'm the god of the dead, so I must be a kidnapper too, hm? Is that what Quinn and the rest of you think? That I'd stoop so low as to kidnap the precious child of one of my brother's conquests?"

The messenger god shifted uneasily. "I don't think that," Mike said softly. "Quinn believes you took Blaine because of how he looks. You've never masked your preferences and-"

"I'm a rapist now too, hm?" Kurt asked, his lip curling in disgust. Beneath his feet, the floor shook and trembled, causing Mike to take flight in order to remain stable. "I never kidnapped Blaine and I never touched him. Tell Quinn, and my bastard of a brother for that matter too, that I'm not holding Blaine here. He chose to stay here; whether he leaves or stays is up to him. You however, Mike, have overstayed your welcome. Please leave."

"Kurt-"

"That isn't a request!" Kurt snarled, slashing his hand through the air. "Leave, Michael, or I'll sic Cerberus on you."

Mike paled, but he bowed and disappeared from Kurt's presence. The god slumped and cradled his head weakly in his hands. His shoulders shook and he began to do the thing he promised himself he'd never do again.

Kurt, the god and lord of the dead, began to cry.

The clothing he wore melted away, his normal clothing replacing the finery he once wore. "Damnit," he whispered, weakly wiping the tears away from him before he stood up and schooled his features into a mask of indifference. "I don't need them. I don't need anyone but myself."

_"You might not need anyone, but you want someone,"_ a tiny voice whispered in his ear. _"You want to love someone, you want someone to care for you. And you want-"_

"Kurt?"

He turned and stared at Blaine, who was lurking in the huge doorway of the room. "Blaine," he chocked out, shaking his head. "You shouldn't be here."

The godling didn't answer. Instead, he walked closer to Kurt until he was kneeling next to him. "What happened?" he asked softly, reaching out and cupping Kurt's cheek gently. One of his thumbs rubbed the tears away from Kurt's face, and the god of the dead leaned into his hand gently before he remembered himself and pulled away. "Kurt..."

"It's nothing," Kurt said roughly, shaking his head and standing up. "Just some trouble in Olympus that needs to be blamed on me. It's not unusual, Blaine; my brother often finds fault with what I do and who I am."

Blaine frowned, taking a step closer to Kurt. "It didn't seem like something that your brother had done, Kurt," he said softly, shaking his head. "Forgive me for overstepping my boundaries, but it doesn't seem like something you would do... cry about something your brother said, I mean. It's something else, isn't it?"

Kurt sighed softly and shook his head. "If it is, I can't tell you," he said softly, stepping away from Blaine. "This has nothing to do with you, Blaine."

The younger god raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "I don't believe that," he answered honestly. "Mike is the messenger god. If anyone wanted to talk to you, they'd send him to talk to you. Was it a message from my mother?"

Kurt laughed humorlessly and shook his head. "No, it wasn't a message from your mother - it was from my brother," he replied, his eyes dark. "He wanted me to return you to your mother. He said I shouldn't have kidnapped you because I was mad at him." He didn't mention that Quinn had accused him of being a rapist too.

Blaine frowned. "But, you didn't kidnap me; I came here of my own free will," he said, tipping his head to the side before his eyes widened. "Wait a minute, that's not all my mother said, is it? She... she thought that you kidnapped me because you wanted me, didn't she?"

Kurt didn't answer, but that was all the confirmation Blaine needed. With a curse, he turned away from Kurt and began to pace, his hands clenched into fists. "I knew it," he said, the anger rushing out of him as quickly as it had come. He sat down heavily on the stone before he turned to look at Kurt. "I know you didn't kidnap me and I know you don't want to rape me. I'm sorry this is happening, Kurt. I really am."

The god shook his head. "This isn't your fault, Blaine," Kurt said, standing up and walking over to Blaine. He put a hand on the other's shoulder, swallowing when the younger godling turned to look at him. "You can't control what your mother thinks. Nobody can control Quinn she wants something."

Blaine smiled a little and nodded slowly. "Yeah... I guess I get that from her," he murmured. "Kurt... if I asked you for something, would you do it?"

"Depends on what it is," the god of the dead replied, watching Blaine carefully.

The god of the spring swallowed and looked up at him with a shy smile. "Kiss me?" Blaine asked softly, swallowing. "I... I know it seems forward, but I feel something and Mother always said to trust my instincts and I-"

Kurt didn't let him finish. He leaned forward and kissed Blaine, cutting off his words. It felt... so wonderful and so wrong at the same time. Blaine took a shy step forward and pressed himself closer to Kurt as Kurt's own arms wrapped around him. But it couldn't last. No matter how sweet Blaine's lips were, no matter how much it felt like Blaine was meant to be tucked into his body, this couldn't last.

This couldn't happen.

He pushed Blaine away, ignoring the pained whimper from the godling as he did so. "Blaine... this can't happen," Kurt whispered, cupping the younger god's cheeks in his hands. "No matter how much we both want this to. It can't."

"Why?" Blaine asked, his eyes wide. "Kurt... you can't deny that there's something there. YOu had to have felt-"

Kurt shook his head. "I did feel it, Blaine, believe me, I did. But that's the problem," he said, pressing their foreheads together. "You and I are part of two separate worlds, Blaine. You were born to live in the sun and I... I wasn't. Sooner or later, Puck will drag you from the Underworld and will forbid you from coming back, no matter how much you fight."

"_He __can__'__t __let __me __be __happy. __He __won__'__t __let __me __be __happy,_" Kurt thought desperately, looking at Blaine with a broken look on his face.

Blaine swallowed, his lip quivering. "I won't go back," he whispered. "I won't leave you alone down here. It's not-"

"I know it's not fair, but theres nothing I can do to make it fair. Your mother won't grow crops for the humans until you're returned to her. She'll let the entire population starve until you're back to her," Kurt said. "I hate the humans, but I know that you don't."

Blaine hung his head and clung to Kurt. "I don't want to leave you," he whispered, pressing his face into Kurt's neck.

The god of the underworld held Blain tightly to his chest and kissed the top of his head. "I know," Kurt whispered. "But this is for the best."

He stepped away and cupped Blaine's cheeks in his hands. "Know this, Blaine son of Quinn, that you will always be welcome in the Underworld, always," Kurt said before taking a step away. "Charon will... Charon will take you back to your mother. Stay safe, Blaine."

Blaine nodded and hung his head, letting his fingers drop from Kurt's shirt as the god backed away. "You too, Kurt," he whispered.

The god of the dead smiled weakly before turning his back on Blaine and walking out of the throne room. Kurt had to force himself not to shake with his silent sobs until he was out of the palace and out of Blaine's ear shot and sight. He walked to the edge of the River Styx and stared down into the murky waters.

An image of him and Blaine appeared with Blaine sitting in the throne next to his, dressed in silver and black with a smaller laurel on his hair. Kurt snarled and kicked a stone into the river, causing the ripples to distort the image. "Why would you should me something I can never have?" the god of the dead demanded before falling to his knees with his hands covering his face. "Why would you bring me someone to love when he's going to be ripped away from me?" His shoulders shook with the force of his sobs, his body curling in on itself. "Why can't they let me be happy? Why? Why?"

The river didn't reply. It just continued to burble happily, as if Kurt wasn't there.

-.-.-.-

Blaine allowed himself to slump against a pillar as Kurt walked out of the throne room, staring after him as he disappeared. "No..." he whispered, staring down at the dark floor beneath him.

Charon cleared his throat and Blaine looked up at the black robed man. "I'm sorry, Blaine, but I have to take you back to Olympus," he said, looking down apologetically at Blaine.

Blaine nodded and pushed himself up, keeping his eyes down on the floor. "Alright," he agreed, shaking himself and lifting his head to look at Charon.

"Do you love Lord Kurt?" Charon asked, causing Blaine to blink in surprise and stare at Charon. "Do you love Lord Kurt, Blaine?"

Blaine swallowed and nodded slowly. "Yes," he admitted, looking up at Charon. "I do."

The ferryman smiled softly and held his closed hand out to Blaine. "Open your hand, Blaine," he said. Blaine frowned and held his open palm out to Charon. He smiled and dropped six pomegranate seeds into Blaine's open hand.

"What's this?" Blaine asked, looking down at the seeds.

Charon smiled again, tipping his head to the side. "This is a choice," he replied. "To choose whether or not to stay with Lord Kurt. I can't explain, but you'll understand. I'll wait outside so you can make your choice in private."

Blaine swallowed, looking down at the seeds in his palm. "You can't tell me what'll happen?" he asked, looking back at Charon.

The ferryman shook his head. "No, I can't. I can't influence your choice at all," he said apologetically. "I"m sorry. I'll wait outside for you." With a final smile, Charon exited the throne room, leaving Blaine alone in the echoing room.

The godling stared down at the seeds in his hand and it was almost like the seeds were burning a hole in the palm of his hand. A choice... to stay with Kurt or to live in Olympus with an overbearing mother and no escape? It wasn't a contest.

But... what if this made it so he could never rejoin his family? Blaine hesitated, looking down at the seeds. Was Kurt worth possibly giving up his mother? That shouldn't even be a question. What about the Warblers? They were the only people who were able to keep him calm and collected after his mother did something to take his freedom away from him yet again. They were his best friends, the only people he felt like he could count on in this world. What if he was abandoning them in choosing Kurt? Could he really do that?

Blaine stared down at the ruby red seeds for a moment, completely unsure of what to do.


End file.
